HYDERABAD: To combat pollution in the State, the Telangana Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) on Monday launched the ‘TSAIR’ app to empower citizens to complain against dumping or burning of garbage in the open and polluting vehicles.Through the app, which was launched by the Forests and Environment Minister A Indrakaran Reddy on Monday, citizens can now send photographs of any activity which directly causes air pollution.
The app aims to seek people’s help in dealing with alarming air pollution levels, said TSPCB officials. “Nowadays, as most people have smartphones, we are now empowering residents to reach us through this app. They can capture images of vehicles causing air pollution and also other illegal activities like burning of leaves, plastic and old tyres, unattended garbage dumps, construction waste, and can directly upload it on the app. In this way, we will get real-time complaints and even evidence of the offenses. This will be forwarded to the concerned department, and teams will be immediately dispatched,” said Environment Scientist (Air), TSPCB, D Prasad.
The app is the first-of-its-kind to be equipped with noise pollution data. “The previous national monitoring portal ‘Sameer’ app, only had data for Air Quality Index (AQI) from the seven air quality monitoring stations in the city. Now, the new app will have the data to check alarming noise pollution as well. The app will have real-time data from 10 noise metres installed at different locations in the city. Additionally, there will be data from 40 other CAAQMS air quality stations that are being operated by private enterprises,” said the official.